We'd had a call to say that the weather around the Capitol was too bad for flying so they were going to come by train instead but to still expect them as planned.
"Prim!" I call as soon as my little sister steps from the train and onto the platform.
She waves at me and comes running over. "Katniss! Was that the same train you and Peeta went on?"
"Looks like it" I say "how was it?"
"Amazing! Reed!" She scoops Reed out of my arms and hugs him "wow, you got big!" She tells him as my mother finally joins us.
"I missed you" she told me quietly, embracing me and kissing my cheek.
"You too" I say before she turns to her grandson and starts cooing over him.
I scan the station looking for Cinna but only seeing Johanna and Gale making out against the platform wall and Effie sweeping a strand of Haymitch's hair from his face. I hear her telling him that she's going to get Cinna to cut it as they walk away.
"Hey girl on fire, looking for me?" I whirl around and found my-self almost nose to nose with Cinna. "You came!" I wrap my arms around his neck.
"Of course" he nods "I lost my respect, or what remained of it, for the Capitol when they captured and tortured me. So I figured that, seeing as everyone else seems to be coming here, I'll come too."
"You are more than welcome" I tell him. "We're having a massive get together back at the village; Peeta's just putting together the finishing touches." I wave Annie and Finnick over and embrace them as well before heading back for our celebration.
It had been Gale's idea to put together a long table so that we could all eat outside together, rather than crowding ourselves in one of our kitchens. That way, no one was really hosting and people were free to leave as and when.
We'd given out a few of the other Victor houses. One to Gale, one to the rest of his family, one to Annie and Finnick and one to Cinna so they didn't have far to go.
The celebration was a blast; everyone had returned with presents for Reed. He was now the most spoiled child district twelve had ever known and, given the circumstances, I didn't even feel bad about it. Finnick and Annie were the last to give theirs, a small, blue, patchwork teddy bear. "It's a friend for him to have when he's lonely" Annie tells me "or until our child is old enough to play with him."
"What?" I blink at her, trying to fathom out what she'd just said. "Annie, what are you saying?"
"I'm almost three months pregnant" she tells me happily "Finnick is over the moon about it! I found out just after you all left for the Capitol but I didn't tell anyone until I'd told Fin and then we both wanted to wait until we were all together again."
"Congratulations" I tell her "really, Annie, you two deserve such happiness."
She nods "it feels like we might get it here, Katniss; who needs family by your side when you're surrounded by friends?"
"My mother once told me that friends are the family you get to choose" I say, hugging her close. "If you want the baby's room done properly, get Peeta, Haymitch and Gale to do it. You should see Reed's nursery, it's amazing!"
"I will, Katniss" Annie grins, hugging me again before letting me go.
I congratulate Finnick as well before I go and find Peeta who's sat with Haymitch and Effie, talking. "Peeta, I'm going to head to bed."
He looks at me and frowns "are you ok?"
"Yeah, I need to put Reed down and I'm pretty tired. I'll just meet you upstairs, ok?"
"I won't be long" he assures me but I tell him to take all the time he needs which is a good thing because I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Reed's first birthday marked several occasions.
The first being the birth of Annie and Finnick's son, Dylan, who was born in the very early hours of the morning with the help of Haymitch and my mother.
The second being, since a few more people had arrived, district twelve began to transform. Today, my son's first birthday, marked the day that the final house was finished and now district twelve, despite the horrors it had faced, stood bold and strong. The houses had been rebuilt from brick and mortar, now looking just as nice as the ones in the Victors Village. The hill which had been the meadow before it had been dug up to become a mass grave, now looked green and lush and the fence had been rebuilt, wooden, not metal, and no electricity. We were free to hunt as we pleased. Of course, there was a lot more to do still but the first phase had been completed.
And, lastly, Effie and Haymitch finally announced their engagement.
"Big day today, big boy" I smile at my son as I dress him. "How old are you, Reed?" I ask him.
"Mama" he just giggles as I do up his dungarees and let him go so that he can crawl over to the building blocks Gale made for him.
I watch him fondly, wondering where all the time went. One year ago today he was just a tiny little thing who could fit, head to toe, in his father's hands and now, he was saying a few words 'mama' and 'dada' being his favourite, crawling and walking.
"It's weird to think that this time last year we were in a bunker in thirteen, right?" Peeta's voice says.
"Very weird" I agree, accepting his hand so that I could get up again.
Vertigo hit almost immediately and Peeta had to stop me from falling over. "Alright?" He asks
"Just got up too fast" I smile. "Any word on Annie?"
"Finnick just rang to confirm that they'll be at the party; your mom said that she can go so long as she takes it easy."
I grin, unable to contain my excitement. I'd miss having baby cuddles and, now with Dylan in the picture, I was becoming rather broody. Not that I would ever mention this to Peeta just yet. It's just a phase, it'll pass. "It'll be nice to watch our boys play together, won't it?" I say, resting my head against Peeta's shoulder as we watch Reed build a tower before knocking it down and laughing as though it was the funniest thing in the world.
My mother had persuaded me to let her host Reed's party; she didn't want me to stress over it when I still had to take care of him. I don't know too much about what'll happen but I do know who's coming and who's making the cake.
"I'm going to have a nap before we leave" I tell Peeta, rubbing my eyes wearily "we have time, don't we?"
"Plenty" he nods, frowning "are you sure you're alright?"
"Stop worrying, Peeta" I sigh "Reed was up, teething, last night; I'm just tired."
"Alright" he says, unconvinced "we'll be fine; I'll wake you up ten minutes before we need to leave."
Before I know it, Peeta's shaking me awake. "Everything ok?" I ask, sitting up and stretching.
"You slept through the entire thing!" He tells me, his face deadpan.
I frown, looking at the window "no I didn't! You wouldn't let me miss his first birthday!"
"You're right, sorry" he cracks a grin "ten minutes, Katniss."
"Where's Reed?" I ask, running my fingers through my hair.
"He fell asleep ten minutes ago" he rolls his eyes "great timing, huh?"
I smile "it's fine, gives us adults a chance to talk."
Reed sleeps for almost two hours before we decide to wake him up; I normally hate having to wake him up because he gets grouchy, much like me, but if we don't wake him then he won't sleep later. "Here he is!" Peeta calls, leading Reed into the room; his small fist wrapped around Peeta's finger.
Reed is used to large gatherings so, instead of crying, his face brightens and he runs over to Johanna. Yeah, that one we're still trying to figure out. For some reason he took immediate liking to her even though she tried to avoid him. She's accepted it now though and opens her arms for him, pretending that it's a chore but we all know she secretly loves it.
"Gotta be a sucker to hate his sleepy cuddles, right?" Gales asks her fondly as Reed buries his face into her shoulder.
"Not when he's wiping boogers and dribbling all over my neck" she says. Johanna, who'd had a pretty rough time of it in the capitol, came back fighting; though she can still be a miserable cow sometimes, she's still a pretty good friend. Her hair, which had been shaved before, had now started to grow back; it looked nice, made her look pretty rather than scary.
Peeta had gone from watching Reed for a moment, back to watching me with baby Dylan; there was something in his face that made me think that he was going to bring up the topic of children again. I didn't have the heart to deny him of another child and I don't think that I could even argue against it now that I was holding a new born again.
It's funny to think that, this time only two years ago, I didn't want children. The idea of having them terrified me but with the games now just a part of history I didn't need to be scared anymore, that my children could have a better life than I did.
Tonight I was going to agree to trying for another baby.
Reed was spoiled rotten; he received more toys and clothes that even we knew what to do with. It took almost ten of us to carry it all back to the house but he was out before supper time with no fuss. "Been a big day for him" Peeta tells me as he joins me in bed "he's totally out of it."
"Well he was chasing Finnick around for most of the afternoon" I laugh before sighing and rubbing my stomach. I think I'd eaten way too much cake, I was feeling so bloated that it was uncomfortable. "Why do you have to bake things that taste like heaven?" I ask my husband as though it was his fault that I'd overindulged.
"Eat too much?" He grins
"Mm" I moan.
I don't sleep well. I have to visit the bathroom a couple of times, feeling ill, before I finally began to throw up. Peeta woke, the next morning, to find me in a shivery, sweaty mess. He calls my Mom over only for her to confirm what I already knew.
The flu had struck.
She gave me her herbal remedies first, to see if they'd help, before resorting to the expensive stuff; tablets to bring my temperature down and more tablets to settle my stomach. She then prescribed bedrest for the next week; I didn't even have the energy to complain.
At least it didn't hit until after Reed's birthday. I'd have felt awful if I'd missed it.
"How are you feeling?" Peeta asks, at the end of the week, just as he'd settled Reed down to sleep.
"Better" I nod, smiling.
"Better enough for me to kiss you?" He asks, raising his eyebrows.
I'd made Peeta sleep in the second spare bedroom whilst I was ill. I didn't want to pass it on to him whilst he was taking care of Reed. "Hmm" I grin "not sure about that…" but I pull him in and kiss him.
"Dylan's doing well" Peeta tells me, settling into bed beside me "healthy."
"I know that my mother and Prim learned some new stuff whilst they were in the Capitol" I say "and were allowed to bring a few things back with them. I caught Haymitch playing with one of the machines a couple weeks ago."
"Was it that one that shocks your heart?" I nod "yeah" Peeta laughs "he almost killed himself the other day. He hadn't realised he'd turned it on and actually shocked himself but he's fine!" He assures me "Effie made him sleep on the sofa for a couple of days for his idiocy but he's fine."
"That man is a danger to himself" I sigh.
We sat in silence for a moment before I heard Peeta take a breath, as though he wanted to say something but wasn't sure whether to bring it up or not. "Katniss," he finally says "have you thought anymore about what I said a few months ago; about having more children?"
I nod "yes, I have actually. Dylan made me realise just how much I miss Reed being small."
"So you want to start trying again?"
"Peeta" I sigh and I watch his face fall "hey, none of that; no pouting. I was just going to say that even if we do start trying, it doesn't mean anything will happen."
"Then why don't we stop not trying" he suggests "and then whatever happens, happens."
I nod "ok, Peeta." I hated those little pills from the Capitol anyway; I'd forget to take them most day and, by the time I remember that I need to take them, usually a week had passed. At least, if I'm not taking the pills any more, I won't have to ask my mother to order me in more from the Capitol.
"Ok?" He asks, shocked that I agreed so quickly "really?"
"Yes" I smile.
Peeta was more into it than I was, ordering the both of us vitamins, eating better and living better. I was just happy carrying on as we were and deal with any changes when they come.
It didn't start irritating me until four months later; my libido was acting up, some nights I'd just want to sleep and some nights, sleep was the last thing on my mind but Peeta's approach was more direct. He'd been reading medical books about babies and conception; had even been charting my periods when he could.
It was the night after Haymitch and Effie's wedding; I should have been knackered from the day of celebration and dancing and way too much food but it was one of those times where I didn't want to sleep. Peeta was reading a baby book, completely engaged in it, and there I was trying to get his attention. I run a hand over his bare stomach, feeling the electricity spark between his skin and mine.
"Not tonight, Katniss" he tells me as I edge closer to him "only a couple more days then you're ovulating and then-"
"Oh, shut up, Peeta!" I snap, rolling over and turning my back on him; pissed off that he'd now taken the fun out of sex. He tried to talk to me but, childishly, I ignored him, pretending that I was asleep.
The next morning, I woke before he did and took Reed over to see Prim and my mother. "So what's going on this time?" Prim asks me as we eat breakfast in the kitchen.
"What makes you think that something's going on?" I ask
"Katniss" she shakes her head "how often are you over here this early in the morning?"
I sigh heavily. "We had a disagreement" I admit, unwilling to say more on the subject.
"About what?" She asks
"Prim" I sigh "somethings are-" I struggle to explain myself but Prim just grins.
"I get it, Katniss; it's about sex, right?" The blush on my face answered her question. "What's going on?"
I sigh heavily "we've been trying to have another baby" I say "but now it's become more of a chore; Peeta's got it so that we can only do it on specific days at specific times now and it's starting to annoy me."
"Well, I'd guessed that you were trying, Katniss" she tells me "but we already thought that you were pregnant."
"We?" I blink in confusion "who's we?"
"Mother, Haymitch and myself." She smiles "we thought that you were just trying to find the right moment to tell us."
"What makes you think that?"
She shrugs "your breasts have gotten fuller and you're always tired."
"That comes with having a eighteen month old, Prim." Choosing to ignore the breast comment.
My little sister gets up from the table and disappears from the room before reappearing a moment later with the same pink and white stick Haymitch had given me. "You know what this is and how to use it?" I nod "go use it and then see what it says."
I head to the bathroom, leaving Reed in Prim's care; how could they think that I was already pregnant when I'd had no signs but, sure enough, when I worked up the courage to look at the stick, it told me that I was pregnant.
"What did it say?" She asks.
"Positive" I whisper "but- I don't understand." I admit
"Well, I'd say you're almost five months; Haymitch first made a comment just before Reed's first birthday."
"Five months!" I all but shriek "but how could I have not known that?!"
"It would explain the flu and the vertigo" she tells me "not every pregnancy is the same. Come on, we'll get mom to look at you, she's been dying to use the scanner machine."
Our mother confirmed Prim's words. I was almost five months. I was still sitting in the study, in complete shock, when I heard the doorbell go. "Hey, Prim; have you seen Katniss?" I hear Peeta's muffled voice ask.
I look at my mother "don't say anything to him yet." I plead "I need to get my head around it first."
She nods "of course, Prim won't say anything either."
When Peeta walks into the study to find me sitting on the loveseat with Reed, playing with him. I look up with raised eyebrows. "Look" he shuffles nervously, not willing to talk about this in the presence of my family "I'm sorry, Katniss; I didn't realise just how-"
"We'll go" Prim states, taking my mother's hand and leading her out of the room.
Peeta joins me on the loveseat, scooping Reed onto his lap. "I didn't realise how obsessed I'd become over it. I was thinking, maybe we should just give up on the schedule and do things as we were doing. I mean, it worked with Reed."
He looked so sad and concerned that I couldn't bear to keep this from him, as I'd wanted to. I wasn't sure how long I'd be able to keep the smile from my face as I tried to play along. "So we can do it whenever we want? No rules?"
"No rules" he nods "I'm really sorry; I just want another one so badly that- what?" He stops when the smile breaks through and I begin laughing "why are you laughing?"
"Peeta, the reason why it hasn't worked was because I was pregnant before we even started trying."
His reaction was the same as mine "what?!"
So, I apologise for the lack of story line right now; I'm trying to come up with one so I'm not just waffling at you...which is why there's been a gap between uploads...that and the fact that I work evenings and am also so damn tired. Anyways, I hope I'm not disappointing you all.
Thanks for reading, I much appreciate the support!